What To Do if You May Have a Disabling Condition

What Is a Disabling Condition?

Our government has established the Social Security DisabilityAn impairment that qualifies as a disability under Social Security Administration (SSA) guidelines must be quite serious. The impairment must render the applicant unable to perform any substantial gainful activity — that is, the applicant must not be able to earn more than a minimum amount of money, determined each year by the SSA. The impairment must completely disable the applicant from working. It must be expected to last for a year, have already lasted a year or be expected to cause the applicant's death. But this is not the end of the qualifying tests. (SSDYou can get disability benefits if you: are under full retirement age, have enough Social Security credits and, have a severe medical impairment (physical or mental) that’s expected to prevent you from doing "substantial" work for a year or more, or have a condition that is expected to result in death.) and Supplemental Security IncomeA Federal supplemental income program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes). It helps aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income by providing monthly cash payments to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. (SSIA Federal supplemental income program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes). It helps aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income by providing monthly cash payments to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter.) programs to provide benefits for people who cannot work due to disabilityAn impairment that qualifies as a disability under Social Security Administration (SSA) guidelines must be quite serious. The impairment must render the applicant unable to perform any substantial gainful activity — that is, the applicant must not be able to earn more than a minimum amount of money, determined each year by the SSA. The impairment must completely disable the applicant from working. It must be expected to last for a year, have already lasted a year or be expected to cause the applicant's death. But this is not the end of the qualifying tests. or illness.

Pain, Fatigue & Hard to Measure Symptoms

Fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue syndrome, hepatitis C, severe back pain and other hard to measure symptoms may qualify the sufferer for Social Security DisabilityAn impairment that qualifies as a disability under Social Security Administration (SSA) guidelines must be quite serious. The impairment must render the applicant unable to perform any substantial gainful activity — that is, the applicant must not be able to earn more than a minimum amount of money, determined each year by the SSA. The impairment must completely disable the applicant from working. It must be expected to last for a year, have already lasted a year or be expected to cause the applicant's death. But this is not the end of the qualifying tests. (SSDYou can get disability benefits if you: are under full retirement age, have enough Social Security credits and, have a severe medical impairment (physical or mental) that’s expected to prevent you from doing "substantial" work for a year or more, or have a condition that is expected to result in death.) or Supplemental Security IncomeA Federal supplemental income program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes). It helps aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income by providing monthly cash payments to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. (SSIA Federal supplemental income program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes). It helps aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income by providing monthly cash payments to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter.) benefits. Convincing a skeptical SSA doctor or administrative law judge that these conditions prevent you from working can be difficult.

Chihak & Gustad is a law firm that helps people obtain SSDYou can get disability benefits if you: are under full retirement age, have enough Social Security credits and, have a severe medical impairment (physical or mental) that’s expected to prevent you from doing "substantial" work for a year or more, or have a condition that is expected to result in death. and SSIA Federal supplemental income program funded by general tax revenues (not Social Security taxes). It helps aged, blind, and disabled people, who have little or no income by providing monthly cash payments to meet basic needs for food, clothing, and shelter. benefits. We have helped many clients obtain benefits in cases involving back pain, chronic fatigue, and other hard to measure symptoms.

Should I Try to Work?

At Chihak & Gustad, we are often asked by people with disabilities if they should try to work.

The answer to this question is complex and depends on facts specific to your situation. We would be pleased to discuss your case and advise you what to do. It may make the difference between getting benefits or a denial of your claim.

Call us toll free at (888) 723-4141 to schedule a free consultation.

When Should I Seek an Attorney's Help?

Many people try to navigate the disability benefitsYou can get disability benefits if you: are under full retirement age, have enough Social Security credits and, have a severe medical impairment (physical or mental) that’s expected to prevent you from doing "substantial" work for a year or more, or have a condition that is expected to result in death. system themselves. This is a serious risk. The Social Security Administration is one of the largest bureaucracies in the world. It is understaffed and underfunded. SSA simply does not have the resources to adequately develop a claim and give it the thoughtful attention it deserves. As a result, 2 out of 3 people without an attorney are denied their benefits. To maximize the chances of success, you should work with an experienced lawyer at the start of the Social Security application process.

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